Excerpt: Remedy of Parts, Moments and Wholes – an academic project by Chang Shi Pei from School of Architecture, Building and Design, Taylor’s University, Malaysia, intends to dissect the under-appreciated and neglected community activity of planting, and extend it to create opportunities and moments to grow into a healthy community. The program not only offers spaces for herb plantations, but also extends its cycle from planting to processing and consumption, all under one roof; coupled with spaces for the community to gather and have discussions.
Introduction: “What makes a good community?” In the theory of Mereology, a community can be described as a unified whole, where parts of the neighbourhood support one another, and the forging of such parts into a whole is done through brewing intimate moments. This project intends to dissect the under-appreciated and neglected community spirit, and extend it to create opportunities and moments to grow into a healthy community.
The structure is located in between a “Taman” (Malaysian neighborhood) and the FRIM forest.
The site is located between Kepong Botanical Garden with a forest reserve, protected by Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and a residential neighbourhood, Taman Ehsan in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It serves as a mediator and a transition space for people travelling in and out of the garden. The explored program on the site involves the process of bonding between the two sides- the garden and the neighbourhood. During the site analysis, it became clear that the neighbourhood shares a common spirit- the spirit of planting. Hence, the program intends to utilise the community’s under-appreciated activity, of herb plantation. The program not only offers spaces for herb plantations, but also extends its cycle from planting to processing and consumption, all under one roof; coupled with spaces for the community to gather and have discussions.
Design Process
The structural concept is inspired by scaffolds, pots, and the notion of “building”. The emphasis of clustering the spaces is to define the recipe’s steps. Step-by-step as you go, your space changes, encouraging you to wander around the structure.
The design expanded from the existing activities of planting, harvesting, cooking, eating, and storing; by exploring/imagining possible sectional and volumetric relationships between these activities. The self-sustaining program comes from different remedies in which the steps and instructions overlap and intertwine, planting a network of different herbs with community involvement.
To construct a narrative for the community, programs, and herbs are arranged in 3 tiers. planting on the bottom, cooking in the middle, and an archive guarding the whole cluster. As you move up, you move through different spaces, ambiance, people, and remedies.
The scheme also acts as a remedy of intimacy in itself, and by the act of brewing herbal remedies, the moments created thus brew the parts of the community, into whole. The plantation process becomes the participation factor of the neighbourhood community, bringing people together.
Final Outcome
The ground floor is an open layout with pant allotments scattered around for people to wander without a fixed circulation.The first floor plan is an arrangement of small balconies or pods that overlook each other. As you cook, you are greeted by your “neighbors” who are making various remedies.
The final outcome possesses a cluster of spaces, all in increasing fruitful activities and volume. The Ground level involves open plan plant allotments, while the users progress to harvesting and cooking. The structure provides cooking pods and dining areas, marking as the pause points for the users into spaces and also, increasing their moments of encounter. The highest level features an archive of storage, where the harvested herbs, tools and remedial documents are kept. The archive serves not only as storage, but also acts as a spark of conversation and intimate discussion for the community.
On the outside, greeneries and open structure harmonize together with the users to form an interesting layered sight that draws the passerby’s attention.
[This Academic Project has been published with text submitted by the student]
Site Context
Design Process
Final Outcome
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